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It’s official. My dream reality is an urban dwelling with either a rooftop deck or a wee patch of land that I can turn into an urban farm. I want chickens! And bees! And my very own organic produce at my fingertips!

I have to be honest: apartment dwelling in the heart of West Los Angeles did not bring with it any sort of expectation that I would be able to successfully maintain any sort of garden. It was literally the furthest thing from my mind. But since moving to the city, I have been compelled to “green up” my surroundings.

I can happily report that my dwarf Valencia orange tree (her name is Imogene) is covered with heavenly-scented blossoms and is happily thriving on my balcony next to the baby Hass Avocado tree I rescued from a local grocery store (her name is Winifred), my herbs are flourishing in their wee pots, and my tomatoes are being tomatoes.

Although I think I’ve maxxed out the gardening potential for this particular living environment, success stories from other urban gardeners (combined with an ever-increasing focus on our need to become more self-sufficient) set my imagination on fire. There is nothing better than the power of possibility.

I recently ran across a fantastic company called Omelet. They offer super-practical solutions for maintaining chickens and beehives in small-scale urban and country farm environments. Just imagine…

“Collecting eggs
Two chickens will provide you with between 10 and 12 eggs a week. They lay these in the integrated nesting area which you can cushion using straw or shredded paper. To collect the eggs you simply open the rear door and slide the roosting bars towards you. Once you have collected your eggs the rear door can be securely closed by turning the handle. Two strong steel arms securely lock it in place.

Well insulated
The Eglu Go has a double walled construction providing excellent insulation and it also has draught free ventilation so your chickens will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Food and water containers The Eglu Go comes with food and a water containers that are specially designed to complement the house. They attach to the run and hold enough food and water to last 4 chickens 2 days, so you can top them up on Friday night and go away for the weekend.” (www.omelet.us)

Customer comments on Omelet’s site praise how easy the products are to keep clean and to move to different parts of the yard, as well as how sturdy and safe and sturdy they are.

For those who are a little unsure of their farming skills, Omelet offers courses in keeping chickens, bees, and other small farm animals in urban and rural environments. You can find a complete schedule of course offerings around the country on Omelet’s website.

I sincerely look forward to the day I get to post about my new chickens. And bees. And my fabulous rooftop garden. Bring it on!